Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



. a Sheets-Sheet 1. W. SUPER. Breech-Loading Fire-Ann.

No. 207,689.v Patented Spt. 3,1878.

Wilmer.-

N-FETERS. PNDTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. DC.

r s Shee tss ht 2. W. S'OPER. Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

No. 207,689. Patented Sept. 3, 1878 NPETERS. PHOTO-LITNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. Q

I 3 Sheets- 8110 3. W. SUPER.

Breech-Loading Fire-Aim.

No. 207,689.. Patented Sept. 3'. 1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SUPER, OF READING, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,689, dated September 3, 1878; application filed December 19, 1877. l

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM SoPER, of

Reading, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is designed to furtherimprove the particular class of breech-loading fire-arms known as Sopers breech-loading rifles, and consists in various details of construction and arrangement of the parts of the breech and lock mechanism, as hereinafter specified.

The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a rifle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line at m, Fig. 1, with parts in a different position. Fig. 3-is a longitudinal section on the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section. on the line z 2, Fig. 2, looking in the opposite direction. Fig. 5 is a rear-side elevation of the breech-block of the said rifle. Fig. 6 is a front-side elevation of the said block and its lifting-lever. Fig. 7 is a plan of the locking-bolt. Fig. 8 is aview of one side, and Fig. 9 a view of the other side, of the same. Fig. 10 is a front-end View, and Fig. 11 arear-l end View, of the said bolt. Figs. 12 and 13- are two views of the firing-pin. 5

Like letters indicate the same parts through-i out the drawings. 7 v

In the fire-arms a guard or protector has heretoforebeen employed to prevent the en-;

trance of sand or other matter into the look through the opening formed in the breechshoe for the striking arm or end of the cock: or hammer. But according to my present invention I dispense with this guard or pro-;

tector, and as a more efiicient means for accomplishing the same object I form the end a of the lock-box a to fit the under side of the arm I) of the cock I), and I form the tail 0 of the breech-shoe c to fit around the other three sides of the said cock-that is to say, this tail 0 is formed with a recess or groove, 0,- deep enough to receive the upper part of the cock and to form the three protecting sides. The

said shoe 0 is also formed with a recess, 0 to receive the end of the breech-block at when the said bolt works is circular.

the said block. The said stud g projects into a diagonal slot, h, in the said bolt 0. Thepart g of the connecting-rod g, which acts on the breech-block to close the same, is so arranged in combination with the shoulder t of the breech-block, on which it acts, and with the aforesaid stud g and projection 9 that in closing the breech the rod 9 will not force out the said bolt until the breechblock d is properly closed; but when the block d is closed, as

shown in Fig. 4, the projection g on the con; V.

necting-rod y will drop into a recess, j, suitably formed for its reception in the breechblock 0?, and the said stud g? of the connecting-rod, working in the diagonal slot h of the bolt, will force the said bolt into its .hole or socket f in the recess 0 of the breechshoe. On the other hand, in the act of opening the breech the aforesaid parts operate relatively in such amanner that the lock-bolt e is withdrawn from its socket f before the breechblock d begins to move up out of its recess.

A small pin or screw, it, is passed through the rear side of the breech-block. ,The point of this screw projects into a longitudinal groove,- 1, in the said locking-bolte, and prevents its turning, while permitting .it to slide freely endwise in the breech-block d whenop} erated by the connecting-rod g, although the hole in the breech-block 01 through which the The said bolt is also formed with a cavity, m, cut across the rear surface,one side of which is beveled to an angle of about forty-five degrees. It also has a longitudinal aperture or slot, n, through'which the firing-pin or striker 0 passes and works freely without obstructing the action of the said bolt; but this cavity will not be in a position to al- 4 low the striker 0 to be driven forward through the breech-block d unless the latter is properly closed, as in Fig. 4, and the bolt 0 has entered its socket f. The part 0 of the said striker that passes through the slot of the bolt 6 has a flat shape, to prevent the turning of the striker in the slot, while allowing the said bolt to work freely without obstruction by the striker. It is also provided with a flange or shoulder, 0 properly shaped to fit and work against the beveled side 1) of the cavity in the said bolt. The part 19 of the bolt being formed with a beveled or inclined surface, suitably arranged to act on the said flange or shoulder, forces the striker 0 back as the bolt 0 is drawn out of its socket f to release the breech-block d, and does not require the aid of a spiral spring.

I form on the rear side of the breech-block d a shoulder, boss, or projection, r, for the reception of the nipple 7', through which the firing-pin 0 works. This shoulder permits the use of a stronger screw than has heretofore been used on the nipple, and allows the shoulder 0 on the firing-pin o to be made of adequate strength.

The rear of the said lock-box a is constructed with a recess or cavity, 05*, wherein the rear or trigger spring s may be firmly fixed in its proper position without the aid of a screw. I now form the trigger-guard t solidly upon or in one piece with the bottom plate a of the lock-box, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the screws heretofore employed for securing the said trigger-guard.

I give the fire-arm a neater appearance and render the same more convenient for handling by reducing the depth of the front part of the lock, and I form through the side of the look a hole, through which a side screw or pin, t, may be passed under the mainsprin g a to hold the same compressed. To keep the aforesaid connecting-rod g in place while being actuated by the tumbler o, I form on the lockplate, in front of the said connecting-rod g, a small lug or projection, a", between which and the tumbler v the lower end of the said connecting-rod g works.

According to my present invention I form the said cook or hammer b with a comb or projection, D 011 the upper part of its strikingarm b, to enable the person using the rifle to operate or adjust the cock freely without interferin g with the parts of the breech mechanlsrn.

1 also improve the said cock by stren gthening its claw or projection b which acts upon the extracting-lever w to bring it back to its place after the cartridge has been extracted.

I also improve the construction of the side lever 01 used in the said fire-arms by forming the same with a round pin or axle, o to pass through the tumbler v, the said pin having formed on it a wing, lug, or projection, '0 which fits a slot, 4%, extending from the hole in the tumbler on one side of the same. The use of this round pin instead of the square pin hitherto used permits a considerable reduction in the cost of manufacture of these parts; and I still further reduce the costtof manufacture by making the projection Q15 of the tumbler, with which the short arm of the said cock engages, circular, so that the same may be shaped with an ordinary cutter. I form the breech-block pin ti -that is to say, the pin on which the said block turnswith a split spring end at d, so that only a plain round hole is needed in the breech-shoe for the reception and holding in place of this pin, instead of the screwed hole heretofore used. The breechblock may therefore be more readily taken out and replaced than heretofore.

I construct the extractor-slide 10* of these fire-arms with two claws, 10, which take hold of different parts of the rim or flange of the cartridges, and thereby insure a more reliable extraction of the cartridges, especially those provided with a metal disk, like the so-called Boxer cartridges.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the breech-block 1],

locking-bolt e, capable of adjustment transversely therein, and the hole or socket f in the side of the shoe 0 for the reception of said bolt, of the connecting-rod g, with its stud g and projections g and g tumbler 42, side lever 22, and pin or axle v substantially as specified, whereby the said locking-bolt may be operated and the said breech-block opened or closed in one operation.

2. The combination, with the breech-piece d and its transversely-adjustable bolt 0, of the rod g, provided with the stud g, for engaging with the oblique slot in the said bolt e, and

provided with the projection for operating on the inclined portions of the breech-piece to raise the latter, and with the projection for operating, in connection with the shoulder i of the breech-piece, to close the latter, sub

'stantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the breech-piece d, of the adjustable non-rotating bolt 6, provided with the slot n and cavity m, the firing-pin or striker 0, provided with aflatportion, 0, passing through said slot n, and provided with a flange or shoulder, 0 for projecting against the beveled sides 19 of the said cavity m, substantially as specified, whereby the said firing-pin is precluded from turning, is preventedfrom operating until after the breechpiece is properly fastened, and is forced back on the unfastening of the bolt 0.

I W. SOPER. lVitnesses:

WM. Bon'r. LAKE, H. H. LAKE. 

